Just A Machine
by senshi moon
Summary: In order to defeat Byoudouin, Tokugawa believes that he must beat the so-called "Tennis Robot", whom has supposedly beat Byoudouin herself. However, the "Tennis Robot" isn't exactly a tennis lover... Tokugawa x OC. Part AU. Warning: Characters may be out of character.


**A Tokugawa Kazuya/OC fanfic! Yay! This fanfic is kind of AU because they play regular tennis. XD Yes. No fancy and highly improbable moves. Lol. I apologize if the characters, especially Tokugawa, are out of character.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own The Prince of Tennis.**

* * *

"Hey! Tennis Robot! Let's play! Let's see if you really are a robot...considering that you're a girl!" A guy mocked as his lackeys cruelly laughed behind him. They were currently at the tennis courts in the U-17 campsite. The players were just training, getting ready for the shuffle matches that were going to happen in the following week.

The "Tennis Robot", who currently sat on a bench, glared straight ahead, not wanting to look back at those little high school boys who believed that they were better than the whole world. "No, thanks. Little boys like you guys are such a waste of my time."

The high school boys stopped laughing immediately. They glared at her back of her head, her hair. "What did you say punk?!"

The "Tennis Robot" stood up, turned around, and glared at them. The guys visibly flinched at her red eyes. "Don't bother me. If you know what's good for you."

While the guys stammered to say something or even react, the "Tennis Robot" walked away from the tennis courts and wandered off.

* * *

"Hm. Saito. That experiment of yours really has no spark," Kurobe commented as he and Coach Saito observed the players, and the "Tennis Robot", through their monitor screens.

Saito Itaru smiled playfully, but dangerously. "Don't address her as that. She's my daughter," Saito stated, emphasizing the word daughter.

Kurobe shrugged. "Not your real dau-" Kurobe cut himself off when he noticed that Saito frowned angrily. He quickly knew to change the topic. "By the way she's acting, she's not going to want to be playing anytime soon."

As quick as lightning, Saito returned back to his regular "clumsy" self. "Yeah... After what they've done to her, I don't think she'll be able to love tennis anymore..."

Kurobe sighed. "What are you planning to do then?"

Saito furrowed his eyebrows, deep in thinking. _'I've tried to give her counseling myself... But she won't budge... She needs someone who can keep up with her glares and equally challenge her...'_ After thinking this, his eyes darted over to the monitors. Then, his eyes landed on Tokugawa Kazuya, whom was training with Oni, on the secluded court they always use.

Kurobe watched him carefully as he followed his eye movements. When Kurobe realized that Saito was staring at Tokugawa, he furrowed his eyebrows. "Why Tokuga-"

Saito rose up his hand to keep him from speaking. "Let's just say, it's a hunch."

* * *

 **2 Hours Later**

 _'Hmm. The "Tennis Robot" sought to challenge me. Obviously, Coach Saito set this up,'_ Tokugawa thought as he made his way to the location the coach told him to go to. Today, he would be facing the "Tennis Robot" as per Coach Saito's instructions.

 _"The 'Tennis Robot'?" Tokugawa asked to clarify. After his training with Oni, Coach Saito had approached them, wanting to speak to Tokugawa._

 _Coach Saito nodded eagerly as he scratched his head. "You see, my daughter isn't fond of tennis very much. A reasonable thing. However, since she used to be in with love tennis, I want her to love the sport again. And because I love tennis as well, I would love to have her by my side playing with and against me."_

 _Tokugawa raised an eyebrow, staring at the coach intently. "Why me?"_

 _Coach Saito smirked. "Don't think there isn't anything in it for you. She... In a secret match, was able to beat Hoo Byoudouin."_

 _Tokugawa widened his eyes, exactly the reaction the coach was looking for. Coach Saito smiled. "That's why, if you beat her, then you might as well have beat Byoudouin-kun. Take that into consideration."_

 _Coach Saito was about to walk away when he blinked as he remembered something. "Wait. I almost forgot." He reached into his pocket and handed Tokugawa a piece of paper. "The location where she will be waiting for you. The place where she beat Byoudouin-kun. Good luck!" Now with that, the coach walked away, leaving Tokugawa to stare at the piece of paper._

Finally, Tokugawa arrived at the secret tennis court. He looked around carefully for any sign of the coach's daughter. And he found now. Tokugawa glared. _'Is he playing with me?!'_

"Hey... Are you Tokugawa Kazuya-san?"

Tokugawa turned around to see a girl standing behind him. He noted that she was way too short. But then again, she was a girl. Girls are generally shorter. "Yes. Coach Saito's daughter?"

"Coach Saito isn't my father. Don't call me that. Just call me the 'Tennis Robot'. I mean, that is what I am," the "Tennis Robot" stated as she shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

Tokugawa stared at her. "Your name?"

The "Tennis Robot" glared at him, her eyes blazing. "I told you to-"

"Your. Name," Tokugawa interrupted, not at all fazed by her glaring eyes. He stared harder at her.

The "Tennis Robot" blinked in plain surprise, not bothering to hide it. This was the first time ever someone wasn't scared by her eyes changing color with her glare. She had no idea how to react.

After few minutes of thinking, she decided to just tell him. What else could she do. She grumbled, "Shini Yumeko..."

With that, Tokugawa walked into the court. "Shini Yumeko. May the best player win."

Yumeko froze. _'What? What? Hey... Chip. What do I do? I-I don't want a match! How do I act-'_

"I'm sorry, Tokugawa-san," Yumeko began, voice cold. Tokugawa stopped walking and turned around to stare at her. "You are not worthy of time. I cannot and will not ac-"

"We'll decide," Tokugawa angrily interrupted, again. "During this match if we each are worth of the other's time." With that, Tokugawa walked until he was on the other side of the court.

Yumeko glared at him. Then, she turned her face emotionless. "I do not appreciate people interr-"

"And I do not appreciate people wasting my time," Tokugawa emphasized, glaring at her.

Yumeko blinked in anger as she frowned. "Why do you want this match?"

"Coach Saito told me that you requested a match with me. I can see that's not the case. However, I need to see if I could beat you in order to beat Hoo Byoudouin."

 _'Straight to the point. Good. I hate people that talk in circles. Hoo Byoudouin? Who is that? I think I've heard about him, but I don't remember. But I don't think this guy will believe me.'_

"In that case," Yumeko began. "Give me the outcomes of this match."

"If I win," Tokugawa commenced. "I will be able to beat Hoo Byoudouin and-"

"You'll leave me alone," Yumeko interrupted. Tokugawa stared at her but nodded.

"If I lose, I will have to train with you to improve my skills in order to beat him," Tokugawa reasoned.

Yumeko nodded. _'I'll lose on purpose. Very simple. He won't need to know that though.'_

"Fine. I accept those terms," Yumeko agreed instantly, glaring at him.

"Get on court and don't waste more time."

Yumeko, already in her tennis outfit (Coach Saito forced her to wear it) and racket in hand, got on the side of the court that was the closest to the door. They telepathically communicated that Tokugawa would be the first to serve.

"First serve," Tokugawa said. He threw the ball up and served it.

Yumeko's brain was already detailing the ball, its speed, and the perfect way to return it. With that information, she returned it with ease.

Tokugawa knew that she would return it easily, but let's see how she is with unpredictable shots. He lightly hit the ball.

Yumeko rose an eyebrow. _'Like I didn't know from his stance.'_ She ran from the baseline to the net, right in time to hit the ball lightly herself and throw it a little over the net. _'Yeah right. Let's see how he deals with lobs.'_

When the ball touched her racket strings, she twisted her wrist and threw the ball high up in the air, curving over Tokugawa. Tokugawa backpedaled into the baseline and waited until the ball came down.

 _'There are two ways this point could go. I smash it, and she, at the net, smashes it away from me. I run for it. I lob it, and she still smashes. I return it. Rallying either way.'_ With that in thought, Tokugawa decided to smash the ball.

And as he predicted, she's at the net, racket ready to smash the oncoming ball. The ball hurls toward and hits the racket, but the unexpected happens. Tokugawa, who was in position to return that ball, widened his eyes. Instead of the ball going over the other side of the net, the ball hit on Yumeko's side of the net.

Instantly, Yumeko let go of her racket. She stared at the ball that was on her side of the net. "Unexpected force. Unable to calculate proper return measures."

Tokugawa merely stared at her. Was that her robot side talking?

Yumeko kept staring down at the ball, knowing that Tokugawa would think that it's her "robot" side talking, when, in reality, she didn't want to return it. _'I really don't care about this... I want to lay down... But... If he doesn't win this, he won't leave me alone...'_

With a sigh, Yumeko bent down, picked up the ball, and threw it to Tokugawa. "Let's continue."

Tokugawa caught the ball with ease and returned to the baseline to serve.

The two kept playing for the next two hours, going into the night. The sky began to fill up with stars. Throughout the first 30 minutes, Tokugawa won the first game. Then, Yumeko won the next one. And so forth and so forth. They were currently tied 5-5.

 _'Do I really have to win more points?! Well, if I don't, he's going to know I went easy on him... And he really wants to defeat that guy... Ugh...'_

At the 11th game, Yumeko did her best to win points, resulting in a 40-40 tie. In the end, Tokugawa won that game with 20-18. The score was now 6-5, with Tokugawa in the lead.

Now at the 12th game, Yumeko calculated the possibilities of this game. _'Tokugawa has to win this match no matter what. He knows I'm a robot. Well, mentally. But not physically. And I'm a girl. It will be easy to convince him that these games, mostly rallies, now that I think about it, has tired me out.'_

They played the last game. It had started alright with Tokugawa, as he was in lead with 40-0. However, Yumeko quickly caught up to him, resulting in a 40-40 tie, causing them to go into another tiebreaker.

 _'I need to drag out this tiebreaker! How long though?! Chip... Calculate...'_

And she did... they lasted a very long time... In the end, Tokugawa won with a score of 40-38. As soon as that game was done, Yumeko allowed herself to plop down on the court.

"That was very intense, Tokugawa-san," Yumeko commented as she closed her eyes and leaned back on her arms. When she heard no response, she opened her eyes... Only to find Tokugawa standing in front of her and glaring at her.

Yumeko raised an eyebrow. "May I help you?"

"You did not take this match seriously. Throughout this whole match, you've been calculating how to lose without making it suspicious," Tokugawa immediately answered.

Yumeko closed her eyes and opened them, showing an evil red. She stood up and faced Tokugawa. She had to strain her neck, however. "Your fault. If you knew, you should have said something."

Tokugawa frowned and grabbed her shoulders, brushing her long, brown hair out of the way. "What do you have against tennis? If you were able-"

"Coach Saito lied to you," Yumeko interrupted as she stared into his eyes, allowing him to stare at her dark blue eyes. "I have never beaten this Hoo Byoudouin-san. I don't know who he is. And I don't care to know who he is," Yumeko explained the second unstated part of his dialogue. When she noticed the features of his face, she sighed. "You wouldn't have believed me if I told you I didn't face him before."

Tokugawa remained silent. She had a point. He would have believed she was lying in order to get out of this match. "Answer the first question."

"When all you've been is a test tool for other players, you don't care about anything anymore. I'm a machine. That's all I am and that's all I'll ever be," Yumeko sadly said as she nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the court.

Tokugawa stared at her. "Shini Yumeko. Look at me," he commanded.

Yumeko obeyed, thinking that if she listened to him, she would be able to get out of there faster. "Yes?"

He let go of her shoulders, which were actually tough, and gently grabbed her wrists. "Does this hurt?"

Yumeko blinked. "No."

He squeezed them lightly. "How about now?"

Yumeko shook her head. "No. Is it supposed to?"

Tokugawa ignored her. "How about now?" Then suddenly, he squeezed them very, very tightly.

"OWWWWW!" Yumeko yelped as she screamed. As reflex, she began to jerk back. "LET ME GO! IT HURTS!"

Tokugawa didn't let her go immediately. "Stop moving. I don't want you to fall when I let you go."

Yumeko obeyed him and stopped struggling. True to his word, he let her go. As soon he let her go, she began to rub her wrists one by one. "That hurt..."

"Machines are not supposed to feel human emotion," Tokugawa defined.

His statement made Yumeko blink. That was his purpose? To show her that she was not a machine? Yumeko sighed and looked up at him. "Tokugawa-san?" Tokugawa looked down at her. "You are the most confusing person I've ever met, to be honest."

Tokugawa smirked. "I make things blunt. I have never confused an individual in my life."

"Well you did now," Yumiko mumbled, but Tokugawa heard anyway.

He chuckled. He walked over to the other side of the court and picked up his tennis bag. Then he began walking to the door, but he stopped when he got there. He turned around to face Yumeko. "Shini Yumeko. Be here at 8 PM starting tomorrow."

Yumeko blinked. "Excuse me?"

Tokugawa smirked. "No excuses." Before she could retort, Tokugawa walked out.

When Tokugawa was out of sight, Yumeko blinked repeatedly.

"What just happened?"

* * *

 **Well... That was a long one shot. I planned on continuing this, but I'm not very good at finishing multi-chapter stories, sadly. So, it will be a one shot. Or maybe I'll cook something up in the future? I don't know. Oh yeah... I say the characters may be out of character because it's been such a long time since I've watched/read the New Prince of Tennis. I haven't kept up with it, to be honest. *sighs* Well, besides all of that, it's a one shot for now. Thanks for reading! :D**


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